12 February 2010

SKY GOOSE

An event of apparently major proportions occurred here this morning on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, more specifically the town of Ocean Springs, even more exactly the west end near the beach close to Biloxi Bay Bridge, when approximately six flakes of snow meandered through the sky, ending their ephemeral lives before actually hitting the ground. Immediately an assembly of kids of assorted ages was pounding my door, for me--the pretend-curmudgeon--to witness the rare and wondrous atmospherics. I did see the rather large snow flakes, approximately a half dozen, as I said, and stated to the young gathering that (why does my mind work this way?) it was caused by the Great White Goose-in-the-Sky shaking her tail feathers. The older kids chuckled--not sure why--but the youngest urchin's eyes grew wide and serious. I now see the kids have moved down the street a few paces, but the youngest has his head turned upward with eyes searching the sky.

For this, the hoped-for snow "storm," we all received both telephone and computer recordings from our fearless superintendent cancelling school for today, except for the Maintenance Dept., who might have to lie in wait in case anything develops. In the meantime, the superintendent wishes that we enjoy our day off, plus the weekend, plus the three Mardi Gras days next week. So, now I have a six-day break in which to ponder some of the meanings of our always newly constructing lifeworlds.

First, though, I'm taking this cup of hot tea out on the porch to search the opaque sky for shaken-loose tail feathers.

No comments:

About Me

Originally from Central City, Kentucky; graduated University of Kentucky (1970); worked in Hazard, KY, with Kentucky Dept. of Natural Resources as mining inspector (1977-78); went to Jamaica with Peace Corps (1979-82); graduated Ohio University (with two MAs, in 1985); graduated from Cal Poly University-SLO, with MS International Agriculture; taught at Feng Chia University, Taiwan (1988-89); taught private high school, in Malibu, California (1989-92); taught high school in Prentiss, Mississippi (1993-96); graduated U. of Southern Mississippi (with MEd, in1995); taught high school in Ocean Springs, MS (1996-2011); moved to White House, TN (2011); now teach World Geography and A.P. Human Geography at Hopkinsville [KY] High School; completed PhD (5/2013) in Geography Education at Texas State University-San Marcos.